Why Read the Word/Bible?

Reading the Word can be confusing, but this week Helen offers a way of reading it to enjoy the mystery and the pieces to be puzzled over and put together in an effort to understand our loving creator. -Editor.

Many of us love mysteries and knowing something deeper is meant, then trying to ferret out what the meaning is. An example for those who are older is 'Rosebud' in the movie, Citizen Kane, or, for middle aged people, the symbolism and powers of the ‘Ark’ in Raiders of the Lost Ark. A movie fraught with symbolism is Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In it a man and woman are inexplicably lured to a volcano-like mountain in Wyoming. In its time this movie was spellbinding to the public, and when the meaning was finally revealed, it turned out that extra-terrestrial beings were trying to talk with people on earth.

It’s easy to place God into that story, because he is an extra-terrestrial being communicating with people here on the Earth, or at least trying to. He did for many thousands of years in pre-history, but failure in the lines of communication kept occurring and eventually they became fully blocked. Way back when, his wisdom showed that he needed to come here on the Earth and talk with people directly. But before he could do that, he symbolically represented that he was going to do it, which helped hold open the lines for the centuries between the Fall of Adam and his birth here on Earth.

And the Lord said to the serpent…I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

The above quote is the first prophecy ever made that the Lord was coming into the natural world. The Lord was to be born by means of a woman so that he could “be present through physical sight, and speak into physical ears,” writes Rev. Erik Sandstrom, Sr. in Some Characteristics of the Ancient Church. Sandstrom goes on to say that for the people to whom the prophecy was given, “this was new and unheard of.” The reason was that “this was instruction from without” or outside, and did not flow immediately into their thoughts and feelings. Previously the Lord had been able to reveal himself through inner ways to humans on earth. Though there may have been many ways, two that we know of were by talking directly with angels and spirits (Arcana Coelestia 69), and also communication through dreams (Arcana Coelestia 1976).

Adam and Eve being cast out of the Garden is the story of the time when the Lord could no longer reach people on earth through the inner way. He saw that “every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Because of his wisdom, he knew the only way to reach people and leave them in freedom was by talking to them from without, or by communicating first “into the natural mind of man” (Some Characteristics of the Ancient Church). If he hadn’t given a prophecy that was external, “it would not have been possible to keep alive the expectation of God in the world, or a concept of a God-Messiah” (Some Characteristics of the Ancient Church).

From that time on, people have had a need for verbal explanation. As my daughter remarked: “This proves our desire to have God speak directly to us and not need to go through symbolism. His coming here to be seen physically reminds me of when he says, ‘Whoever has ears, let them hear’ (Revelation 2:7).” Thinking back to the earliest people, my daughter added, “I am so envious of the Most Ancient people because they had direct communication.” Agreed! It is a long haul for us to get to the point of being that open to heaven. But the Lord is working on making himself clearer and clearer. We now live after the Last Judgment when the truths of the New Heaven are descending. The Lord has found ways to make himself clearer by revealing the inner meanings of the Word more directly. Swedenborg takes us line by line through Genesis, Exodus and the Apocalypse. But they are written in such a way that we are still left to learn from our Creator in freedom, and to develop an inner kind of connection with him. As we become more in tune with his truths, we may discover that we more and more enjoy his input into our lives. For his part, hopefully he will find less and less darkness in us. The Word is the way we learn about our Creator, because

The Word is holy and divine throughout and in every detail. At the heart of everything it says there is something divine lying hidden, and it is through this that it is in touch with heaven. (Divine Providence 231)

An example of how it is divine in every detail can be seen in a word that has many levels of meaning—peace. You and I can think of several levels just off the top of our heads. To go even deeper, Swedenborg’s Writings explain a meaning for it on the innermost level that applies to the Divine:

In its essence, it is the divine joy of the Lord’s divine love, arising from his union with heaven and with every individual there. This joy, perceived by the Lord in the angels and by the angels from the Lord, is peace. (Heaven and Hell 286)

This shows that the Lord is eager to have a relationship with all of his created beings, and he wants them to enjoy having a relationship with him. Why not? To continue the passage about peace,

It flows down from there to provide angels with everything that is blessed and delightful and happy. (Heaven and Hell 286)

If this is so, why do we stray from this most interesting and enjoyable extra-ordinary Being? The straying has caused the sadness of humankind. The Lord doesn’t want us to be that unhappy. In fact, people who have had near-death experiences say the Being of Light is wonderful to encounter, and they can’t wait to go back and be with him again. Some even go so far as to say he has a sense of humor. Most likely so, because anyone who conceived of and made the “funny little creatures” that we are has got to have a sense of humor and enjoy life.

The Lord could have made good little robots if He wanted, but instead He wanted these funny little creatures who are interesting, unique, full of potential, able to learn, bizarre, unpredictable and wonderful, but prone to make mistakes in their creative approach toward life. (Near-Death Experience, Howard Storm, 1980s)

Helen Kennedy

Helen has been writing for many years. Currently she is the editor of Theta Alpha Journal, a General Church women's journal. When not working on that, essays and fiction are her main focus. She finds the material in Swedenborg’s Writings packed with unique and interesting ideas, and has developed a real affection for them.